All This Time
by chickenwriter
Summary: The pair stood there, looking at each other as if the world had disappeared around them. They never noticed Charlotte as she stood and watched them. A short C&J oneshot.


1**All This Time**

_A/N: This is my first Princess Diaries Fan Fiction. I've never read the books and don't plan to because the movies are so fantastic. Clarisse and Joe are the cutest couple ever, and don't even deny it! So, after reading a few fics, this is what I came up with. I must also tell you that I wrote this while listening to random Julie Andrews songs, and after watching PD2 and Mary Poppins. This could be dangerous... Please be kind to me and review(with any opinion)._ _Set somewhere in PD2, I suppose._

"Joseph, darling. Tell me something." Queen Clarisse whispered to her dance partner.

"Anything, my dear." He whispered back as the music played in the empty ballroom. He pulled her a little closer, evoking a tiny gasp from the lips of the queen, who did not expect such a loving gesture at that moment.

"Tell me why we've never gone on an outing together."

"My dear, I am your driver, we've gone many places." Clarisse laughed playfully.

"No, no, no. I meant as friends." The word friends didn't seem adequate, but Clarisse thought that it would do, for now.

"Because, Clarisse, we are not friends." At first, the queen looked hurt that he would say something such as this, but then, as he spun her on this barren dance floor, she caught the passion in his voice. She knew that they were anything but friends.

"Oh...Joseph" She fell back into a melodic whisper, barely audible over the music. They stopped dancing, and just stood in the middle of the room. They never broke the romantic hold of the waltz they had been performing. Locking eyes was all that had to be done for them to communicate. This look they were exchanging...it said "I love you" in a way that could never be said aloud.

The pair stood there, looking at each other as if the world had disappeared around them. They never noticed Charlotte as she stood and watched them. Usually she didn't stay around during tender moments like this, but she couldn't help it. She was drawn to them, to their silent passion, to their chemistry. The Queen was first to notice that they were no longer alone.

"Charlotte," She gulped and looked from Joe to Charlotte quickly. "I...I need to go check something!" She had never been more flustered. Joe had his hands on her hips lightly and her hands were resting on his back.

"No. I'm sorry, I was just going, ma'am." Charlotte ducked out quickly.

"Oh, dear." Clarisse sighed, dropping her hands.

"Yes, my darling, we were caught."

"We weren't doing anything!" Clarisse was suddenly defensive, making Joe drop his hands as well.

"I didn't mean to imply that we were. Forgive me."

"Oh, Joseph, I forgive you." Her hand came up to his cheek.

"I'm glad." He looked softly in her eyes. "I must ask you something, darling."

"What is it?"

"May I have the pleasure of kissing you?" The question came as a shock to the Queen of Genovia. She wanted to say yes. Oh how she did.

But could she?

"Joseph, I don't know."

"No one is around, your majesty."

"Oh...I..." The queen stuttered out. "Joseph?"

"Yes, my darling."

"Be gentle, it's been a long time." Joe could not have been happier in that moment. He assumed that meant yes as he leaned close to the queen he had loved for so long. Their lips met in the most tender way. Clarisse moved her hands to Joe's back, from where they had been resting at her side. The head of security returned the favor, while also deepening the sweet caress of their lips. It had been thirty years too long, in both their opinions. They broke apart, knowing now that going back to just having a deep affection for each other would not work. They had acted on their feelings, and the feelings had become deeper. They were in love, as much as Clarisse wanted to deny it.

She had always made excuses, for why they couldn't be together. Most of them, in fact all of them involved her duty to her country. If she had been acting on her duty to herself, she would have been with Joseph long ago. Joseph thought that this would have been wonderful. He had waited so long, too long to tell her how he felt.

"Clarisse, would it be too bold," Joe said, taking the queen's small hands in his, "for me to tell you that I loved you?"

"Joseph, I...can't." It was like a knife in his heart. Rejection at it's worst.

"My dear," Clarisse dropped her hands from his and moved quickly away. "Please, don't run away." As she hurried away she turned to him.

"A queen never runs, Joseph. We hasten." And with that, she was gone.

"Joe?" Mia asked quietly tilting her head to look at him. "You OK?" He was standing in the middle of the large and empty room, looking confused, and desolate.

"Yes, Princess, I'll be fine." Joe replied, gazing off into the space where _she_ used to be. His queen.

"Well, you don't look ok, but if you say so." The princess left him alone with his thoughts, which was an awful thing to do to a man like him.

"She's gone again." He whispered to no one. He had lost his companion the her 'duty' once again. Joe left the ballroom to be anywhere but in that place.

The noble queen sat in her suite, pondering the moments before. He had kissed her, and she had let it happen. Then he had asked to say I love you, obviously taking it too far. The worst part? She loved him as well. As she thought about her quick exit, a silent tear fell down her cheek, and she prayed that the next knock on the door would be Joseph.

Her Joseph.

How long had this feeling been brewing inside of her? How long had she loved him? She never remembered this ache in the pit of her stomach, this longing for his voice, his loving touch, for one more dance. The strong and out-spoken queen had never experienced this feeling, and she loved and hated at the same time.

'He must hate me now.' She thought sadly. 'How could he love a woman that just runs out on him?'

A soft knock came at the door. Clarisse composed herself, pulled her jacket closed tighter around herself and walked to the door.

"Yes?" She called to the unknown on the other side.

"Your Majesty, I have come to apologize." Said the stranger.

"You may enter." She replied, unlocking the door and walking to the couch.

"Madam, I have crossed the line. Please forgive me." Clarisse turned away, as to hide the tear forming in her eye.

"I won't forgive you." Joseph looked away, hurt. Clarisse stood and her gentle hand turned his face to hers. "For you have done nothing wrong." She smiled.

"Clarisse, why did you run from me?" He asked, sitting on the couch after the queen did so.

"I...I suppose I was scared. Joseph, I have never loved before. This is all new to me."

"Darling, I promise you, whatever you want to happen, will happen with us, just please try not to trample on my heart so much." He smiled and took her hand.

"I'll try." Clarisse placed a small kiss on his lips. "I do love you. I hope you know that."

"It's so nice to hear you say that."

"It is so nice to finally say it."


End file.
